Peninsular War of 1808-1814 in the Assessments of "The Edinburgh Review"

During the Napoleonic Wars, various regions of Europe, including the Pyrenees, were involved in hostilities. The military events on the Iberian Peninsula between 1808 and 1814 were marked by widespread resistance from the local population against French troops. The struggle of the Spaniards against foreign invaders, supported by British troops provided an opportunity for political discussion in the United Kingdom. This discussion has also been featured in periodicals. Publications on Spanish subjects were also featured on the pages of The Edinburgh Review, a Scottish literary and critical journal. During the armed conflict on the Iberian Peninsula, the magazine's reviewers turned to various works that were related to Spain. They could discuss the nature of government, the population of the country, and its future in critical articles analyzing pamphlets, journalistic writings, military memoirs, travelogues, works on the history of the empire and its colonies in the New World, and the local literary tradition. All this reflects a complex set of ideas about the country and its people. At the same time, some of the reviewers who visited the peninsula in the early 19th century felt a genuine interest in the events taking place, and also had a desire to thoroughly understand the current social and political processes. It seems that a focus on a wide range of diverse publications from The Edinburgh Review would significantly enhance the image of Spain and Spaniards that was presented on the pages of the magazine between 1808 and 1814.